Thought Leaders – Real Estate Re-imagined (formerly The Elevate Podcast)

Lessons from Google and Uber: Domain’s John Foong on leadership, learning, and building partnerships for success

Feb 11, 2022

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From Google to Uber, Domain’s new Chief Revenue Officer John Foong has a resume that reads like the who’s who of the corporate world.

Along the way he has established a global reputation as someone who consistently leads his teams to success.

In an Elevate podcast that is packed full of leadership insight and lessons that translate from both Uber and Google to real estate, John talks about his approach to leadership, the mistakes he’s made along the way, and the strategies he now puts in place to build partnerships with his team and his customers.

He shares an insight into how he became the youngest director of Google Cloud and then went on to become a leader of leaders, along with why he transitioned to Uber and what he hopes to achieve now at Domain.

And the tips he offers are both empowering and insightful, applying to both leaders at the top of their game, and real estate professionals simply looking to take the next step in their career.

In fact, this is a podcast that covers a whole lot of ground with key takeaways that range from the importance of two-way feedback when it comes to leading a team to the key questions you should ask yourself throughout your career.

It also focuses on how you can bring out the best in your team, and why you should be consistently encouraging them to be in a place that is right for them.

John also discusses his new role at Domain, including how he intends to help agents become more successful, more efficient and build better businesses that allow them to better service their clients.

In the process, the episode offers a fascinating insight into a leader who remains humble, is committed to continual learning, and who is at the top of his game courtesy of gratitude, enthusiasm and the simple mantra of asking ‘what can I do for you?’.

“You’ve got to treasure your people because you are nothing without your people. Particularly the bigger the organisation you lead, you can’t be across everything. You can’t know everything. It’s all about how good the people are that you can attract.

“You’ve got to treat your people like gold, and you’ve got to make it a place where it is rational for them to make this their home for the next few years, because it’s the best place where they can be rewarded and be trained and manage a family, or whatever life they want to lead.” John Foong.

https://youtu.be/5xNB7831oxg

Samantha McLean and John also discuss:

Why John almost dropped out of school to live a life of service in Africa, but instead went on to learn about leadership from some of the best businesses in the world.
How he found himself in Silicon Valley and landed a job at Google where he would become a leader of leaders.
What it’s really like to work at one of the world’s most renowned companies, and the key strategies that translate to real estate.
The leadership lessons John has learned along the way, and the mistakes that have helped him become more empathetic and more focused on ensuring the happiness of his team.
How John uses two-way feedback to lead his team to success and why it’s all about ensuring they are the best place they can be both personally and professionally.
Why people need to be treasured, but that doesn’t mean a leader can’t be tough, and set clear expectations.
How Uber tapped into an unmet need, and the ways real estate can employ a similar strategy.
Why John’s focus has always been about building partnerships, and how he will be using this in his new role at Domain.
How John and the Domain team intend to help agents enjoy greater success, and the new products that will help support agencies navigating a high-demand market.

And much, much more…

Links and resources mentioned

John Foong on Elite Agent

Connect with John